Mitsubishi, Toyota, Honda compete for Green Car title

Mitsubishi, the car company that's more known for its tuner toys for boys than its low carbon footprint vehicles announced that its all-electric iMiev was selected as a finalist for the World Green Car of the Year competiton. Other contenders include the

The Mitsubishi iMiev Sport is the sleeker sibling to the electric car competing for 2008 World Green Car title.

Mitsubishi, the car company that's more known for its tuner toys for boys than its low carbon footprint vehicles announced that its all-electric iMiev was selected as a finalist for the World Green Car competition, a category of the World Car of the Year awards. Other contenders include the Honda FCX Clarity and the Toyota IQ.

To be nominated for the title, the vehicle must use an advanced power plant technology that minimizes emissions, be in production or have at least 10 experimental prototypes close to production available for individual or media fleet testing, and be available in at least one major market during 2008.

The Mitsubishi iMiev gets up to 100 miles per charge and has fast-charging capability. The zero-emissions vehicle will go on sale in Japan later this year and is being tested by PG&E and Southern California Edison in California.

Honda's FCX Clarity runs on compressed hydrogen gas with a driving range of approximately 225 miles. The Clarity is being leased to consumers in Japan and Southern California for evaluation and testing.

The Toyota IQ is equipped with a conventional engine that uses Toyota Optimal Drive technology to get 65.7 mpg. The car is sold in Europe and Asia.

The winner of this award will be announced on at the New York International Auto Show on April 9, 2009.